AI Product Owner- Project Management (Lighting)

Make a difference.

Purpose

Own the product vision, backlog, and delivery of Graybar’s Project Management platform for lighting – a unified, automated system covering takeoff through orders that will set a new industry benchmark for project speed and accuracy. This product encompasses internal-facing tools for Graybar’s takeoff and pre-fabrication specialists, as well as a customer-facing portal that gives contractors and project managers real-time visibility into materials, orders, documents, and billing across their lighting projects.

As the AI Product Owner, you are the bridge between Graybar’s lighting project teams, the customers they serve, the engineering team building the platform, and the UX Designer crafting the user experience. You ensure we build a platform that Graybar’s 500+ takeoff users and 150+ pre-fab power users rely on daily, and that customers choose over competitors’ tools.

Product Context

Graybar currently uses multiple, disparate takeoff tools and has strong but under adopted submittals tools. The 2026 roadmap unifies these into a single platform with the following components:

Internal-facing tools: Single takeoff (count) tool, single pre-fab tool, “not on file” (NOF) / lot material master file with cost, integration with quote and order automation, and a single automated submittals tool with specifications.

Customer-facing portal (phased releases):

• Release 1: Platform setup, authentication, project dashboard, initial data models

• Release 2: Material tracking, order management, document repository

• Release 3: Billing visibility, search and filtering, notification system

• Release 4: Exception management, mobile optimization, multi-project support

In this role you will:

• Own and prioritize the product backlog in Azure DevOps – write user stories, define acceptance criteria, and sequence work across internal tools and the customer-facing portal release phases
• Conduct deep discovery with Graybar’s lighting project teams, takeoff specialists, pre-fab users, and contractor customers to understand current workflows, pain points, and what a best-in-class project management experience looks like
• Lead sprint planning, backlog refinement, and sprint reviews; accept completed work and make scope decisions that balance internal tool needs with customer portal delivery
• Partner closely with the Senior UX Designer to define the customer-facing portal experience – information architecture, user flows, and interaction patterns for material tracking, order management, billing, and document management
• Define requirements for integrating the project management platform with Graybar’s existing systems, including the quote and order automation platform, submittals tools, and the Graybar Connect ERP (SAP S/4 HANA)
• Manage the phased release strategy for the customer-facing portal – define what “done” looks like for each release, set go/no-go criteria, and coordinate launch activities
• Drive adoption of internal tools across Graybar’s regions: plan rollout sequencing, define training requirements, measure adoption and usage metrics, and manage change across diverse user groups
• Build and maintain the NOF/Lot material master file requirements – working with product data teams to define data structure, cost integration, and maintenance workflows
• Define and track product KPIs: user adoption rates, project cycle times, takeoff accuracy, customer portal engagement, and operational efficiency gains
• Manage stakeholder communication across lighting specialists, district operations leaders, technology partners, and executive sponsors
• Conduct competitive analysis of project management tools in the electrical distribution industry to ensure Graybar’s platform sets the benchmark

What you bring to the table:

Minimum

• 5+ years of experience in product ownership, business analysis, or product management
• Experience working in Agile/Scrum environments with responsibility for backlog management and sprint ceremonies
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex business processes into technical requirements and user stories
• Experience with products that have both internal users and external customer-facing components
• Four-year degree in Business, Information Technology, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience)

Preferred

• Experience in construction, lighting, electrical distribution, or project-based industries
• Experience with project management, takeoff, estimating, or BOM (bill of materials) tools
• Familiarity with Azure DevOps or similar Agile work management tools (Jira, Rally)
• Experience managing phased product launches with multiple user populations
• Understanding of portal design, customer self-service platforms, or B2B digital experiences
• Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO), Professional Scrum Product Owner (PSPO), or equivalent certification
• Familiarity with ERP integration patterns (SAP S/4 HANA) or document management systems

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

Knowledge

• Knowledge of Agile product development practices, including user story writing, backlog prioritization frameworks (WSJF, MoSCoW, RICE), and sprint planning
• Knowledge of project management workflows in construction, lighting, or a related project-based industry
• Understanding of how internal tools and customer-facing portals differ in design, testing, and rollout requirements
• Knowledge of data management practices, including material master data, product catalogs, and system integration patterns

Skills

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills – ability to decompose complex, multi-phase product initiatives into discrete, deliverable increments
• Excellent communication skills – ability to facilitate requirements workshops with field users, present to executive stakeholders, and collaborate with UX and engineering teams
• Active listening and requirements elicitation skills – ability to bridge the language gap between lighting specialists, contractors, and software engineers
• Organizational skills – managing a multi-release roadmap with overlapping internal and customer-facing workstreams

Abilities

• Ability to work effectively across a diverse stakeholder landscape – lighting specialists in the field, contractor customers, UX designers, software engineers, and executive sponsors
• Ability to balance competing priorities between internal tool needs and customer-facing portal delivery
• Ability to make scope and sequencing decisions that maximize value delivery within each release phase
• Ability to build relationships with field operations staff and earn their trust as the voice of the product
• Ability to learn complex domain workflows quickly – understanding takeoff processes, submittals, pre-fabrication, and lighting project lifecycles without prior experience in the space

Working Conditions

Hybrid office environment (Clayton, MO; 3 days per week on-site). Periodic travel to Graybar branch locations, STAR Centers, and customer job sites to observe lighting project workflows, conduct user research, and support rollouts. Remote candidates will be considered for exceptional qualifications.

Compensation Details: The expected base salary for this position is starting at $118,000 annually depending on experience. This position is also bonus eligible - based on specific and relevant business metrics.

Why Graybar

Graybar is a Fortune 500, 100% employee-owned company with nearly 160 years of history and $11.6 billion in annual sales. As an employee-owner, you share directly in the company’s success through our Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) and profit-sharing programs. You will be building the industry’s first unified AI-powered project management platform for lighting – a greenfield product with the potential to reshape how contractors and distributors work together.

The Value of Graybar:

At Graybar, we are known for our comprehensive benefits and our employee stock ownership plan! Most regular, full-time employees at Graybar may be eligible for a variety of benefits like:

• Multiple plan options for Medical, Dental, Vision, and Prescription Drug benefits.

• Life Insurance coverage for you and options for your family.

• Save on expenses with Flexible Spending Accounts.

• Enjoy our Disability Benefits at no cost to you.

• Share in our success with Profit Sharing Plans.

• 401(k) Savings Plan with company match to help secure your future.

• Paid Vacation & Sick Days to spend time away from work or in case of an illness.

• Rest and recharge during our Paid Holidays throughout the year.

• Take advantage of our Paid Wellness Day to focus on preventive care and prioritize your health.

• Volunteer with